Vetoquinol has revamped its Epiphen complimentary voucher scheme for testing serum levels of phenobarbital, and is offering vet practices a chance to win £100 of high street vouchers.
New voucher pads will be posted to participating veterinary practices in August. The re-vamped scheme also includes freepost envelopes to make the free serum monitoring programme more user-friendly.
Practices are being asked to send back the old vouchers, which can be found in both the 30mg and 60mg Epiphen packs, to take part in a monthly prize draw to win £100 of high street vouchers. To enter, return the vouchers with the practice name on the back of each voucher. There will also be a quarterly prize draw for a "Touch Screen" client education tool.
The old vouchers should be sent to: Voucher Amnesty, Vetoquinol, Vetoquinol House, Great Slade, Buckingham Industrial Park, Buckingham, MK18 1PA.
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advocate and organiser of the Be Lungworm Aware campaign, is warning that last year's damp summer and the mild winter conditions may lead to a continued spread of Angiostongylus vasorum in the UK.
Biodiversity & Conservation Officer for The Natural History Museum, Professor Fred Naggs, said: "An increase in the number of slug and snail populations this year would suggest there will consequently be a continued spread of the parasite. However, this depends on a number of factors: (i) the number of slugs and snails around last year, of which there were many (ii) the level of precipitation throughout the year, as slugs and snails will breed continuously when temperatures are mild to warm and there is adequate relative humidity. According to many reports in the press, last year was one of the wettest on record (iii) the survival of slugs and snails over the winter. As this winter has not been particularly harsh, reasonable numbers of slugs and snails should have survived."
In addition, a study by the RVC as shown that A. vasorum is spreading beyond the traditional geographic distribution with 20 per cent of veterinary practices across the country reporting at least one case of A. vasorum. 1
To help raise awareness of the parasite, veterinary surgeons and nurses are being encouraged to support the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign. The scheme will offer support and education to owners and participating vet practices throughout this month, which has been labelled 'Lungworm Awareness Month'.
Caroline Braidwood, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "While dog owners are becoming more aware of A. vasorum, there is still a real lack of understanding as to the warning signs associated with the condition and how to prevent or treat it. Some owners still believe that Lungworm can be prevented by using normal intestinal wormers which is not the case - Advocate is the only product that can prevent A. vasorum, and from the first application. Our aim with the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign is to drive pet owners to their vet practice, where they can then be informed of the danger of the parasite and educated about correct preventative treatment."
Practices can request a range of materials including a practice press pack by calling their Bayer Territory Manager. The pack is designed to promote the awareness campaign to local dog owning clients and includes a regional press release, images and other collateral including leaflets, posters and a campaign DVD for display in waiting rooms.
For more information on lungworm, visit www.lungworm.co.uk
Reference
1. Royal Veterinary College survey 2012, 1,419 veterinary practices
Believed to be the first course of its type produced specifically for the veterinary sector, it aims to help educate colleagues about the subject of Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and is relevant to anyone working in the veterinary community, including non-clinical staff.
The course looks at how to create a more inclusive environment for colleagues and clients.
It also covers definitions of diversity and inclusion, and investigates the difference between equity and equality - and why it is so important.
Course learning materials also consider the topics of bias, prejudice, protected characteristics and discrimination - and how colleagues might challenge any non-inclusive behaviours through interactive veterinary context scenarios.
Nimisha Patel-Cook and Claire Dennison, Learning Partner and Employee Experience Lead at CVS, who jointly developed the course, said: “We want to increase the levels of diversity within the veterinary community, but to achieve and sustain more diverse workforces we know we need to foster inclusive and equitable workplaces.
"Everyone plays a part in that.
“So we have created this new course and are making it available to any colleague working the veterinary community.
"In time we hope that it contributes to an inclusive and psychologically safe culture for all within the sector.”
The course is available at https://knowledgehub.cvsukltd.co.uk.
Firstly, pets that haven’t received primary vaccinations due to the coronavirus outbreak and develop an issue that would have been prevented by a vaccination they were unable to access, will now have that condition covered under their Agria policy.
Secondly, the company has now made it possible for owners of cats and dogs under the age of five to set up a 'Four Weeks Free' policy - which would ordinarily be set up in practice - themselves.
Simon Wheeler, Managing Director of Agria Pet Insurance (pictured right), said: "We have introduced these additional products during the pandemic to ensure that pets remain covered despite new and significant challenges faced by vets and owners. We hope that they alleviate a little of the pressure faced by veterinary staff and worry felt by owners."
Robin Hargreaves, who is Agria's Vet Lead and helped develop the solutions said: "Times are pretty tough in practice right now, and operating on a restricted basis isn’t ideal for us or the pets registered with us. One thing that would make life even harder would be if the percentage of uninsured pets was to rise.
"With Agria making it possible for owners to activate their own 4 Weeks Free policies at this time, even owners that can’t see vets as usual can still protect their pets with insurance.
“Relaxing restrictions around cover for unvaccinated pets will come as a huge relief in some cases, enabling any pets that have missed primary vaccinations or gone past their booster date due to current restrictions to still be insured."
For more information, visit: agriapet.co.uk/guide
To coincide with National Microchipping Month in June this year, Avid will update the details of any pet with an Avid microchip registered on the UK 24hr PETtrac microchip database free of charge, saving their owner £6 for a change of address and £12 for a change of ownership.
In addition, anyone who contacts the company via its website during June will also be entered into a prize draw to win one year's worth of free pet insurance.
To update registration details free of charge, visit www.petchipupdate.com (the update service activates in June), or call 0800 652 8977.
Any microchipper who would like a Pet Chip Update Campaign pack can send a request via www.petchipupdate.com or call the AVID MicroChip sales line on 0800 652 7 977.
Lanes Health, manufacturer of the mobility supplement, LitoVet, has announced the nominees for the inaugural Litovet Equine Scientific Achievement Award, part of the annual Animal Health Trust (AHT) awards.
The award which has been set up to recognise a person or group whose clinical or scientific work has made a substantial difference to the equine veterinary world will be judged by a panel of leading veterinary surgeons and scientists.
The nominees are:
Peter Clegg - MA VerMB PhD CertsES DepEVCS MRCVS. Dr Clegg is Professor of Equine Surgery and Deputy Head of the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, The University of Liverpool. Peter's current research focus is equine orthopaedics, in particular identifying the basic mechanisms of injury and repair in equine joints and tendons. He has supervised 13 successful PhD students and is currently supervising a further nine.
Andy Durham BSc, BVSc, DEIM, Dipl.ECEIM, MRCVS (RCVS & European Specialist in equine internal medicine). Liphook-based Andy Durham exemplifies the premise that veterinarians in practice can maintain an active interest in current research, undertake clinically relevant research projects, interact with researchers on an international stage and contribute to CPD through scientific papers, book chapters and lectures.
Tim Mair BVSc PhD DEIM DESTS DipECEIM MRCVS. Dr Mair ha been innovative in veterinary practice (e.g., an early adopter of standing magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), has an extensive publication list recently focusing on evidence-based medicine for colic, but spanning the full breadth of common medical disorders in horses. He has made an enormous contribution to veterinary practice within both Europe and America in his role as Editor of Equine Veterinary Education.
Chris Proudman MA VetMB PhD CertEO FRCVS.Dr Proudman is Professor of Equine Studies at the University of Liverpool. His research interests are related to the aetiology and surgical management of acute intestinal disease (colic) in the horse: specifically, the diagnosis of intestinal parasites associated with colic and understanding dietary determinants of colic. Most recently this has involved using metabolomics and molecular microbiology to investigating the intestinal microbiota and its response to dietary change.
The LitoVet Equine Scientific Achievement Award can be granted to any individual or group that is currently undertaking, or has successfully implemented within the past ten years, one or more clinical or other research projects which has, or will, make a significant contribution to equine health and welfare.
The award will be presented to the recipient, or recipients, at the UK Equestrian Awards held at the Lancaster London on Thursday 3 November 2011.
At the same time as paying the fee, all veterinary surgeons must annually confirm their Register and correspondence details, declare any convictions, cautions or adverse findings and confirm they are compliant with RCVS continuing professional development (CPD) policy.
The deadline for completing the annual renewal, 1 April 2019, has now passed and all veterinary surgeons who are yet to pay their fees must do so before the end of May 2019. As of 1 June 2019, any non-payers will be removed from the Register.
If paid by 30 April 2019, the annual fee is £340 for UK-practising veterinary surgeons, £170 for veterinary surgeons practising outside the UK, and £56 for non-practising veterinary surgeons. Following this date, the fee goes up by £35 across all these groups and veterinary surgeons will have until 31 May 2019 to pay.
If the renewal fee is not received in full by 31 May 2019, then non-paying veterinary surgeons will be removed from the Register. In order to restore their name to the Register, a restoration fee of £340 will need to be paid, in addition to the appropriate retention fee. During this time they will not be able to use the postnominals MRCVS and UK-practising vets will need to cease practising.
Annual renewals can be completed online on the RCVS website and all the information needed to complete the annual renewal is in the renewal notice that has been sent to veterinary surgeons. Those who need any help or have any questions about completing their renewal and paying fees should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
The event will deliver more than 130 hours of CPD, including a programme of five simultaneous live streams each day. Delegates will also have opportunities to network and socialise - with peers, colleagues and experts in chat rooms and breakout sessions, and with industry partners - such as event sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition - in the online exhibition hall.
Live content will be delivered via 24 content modules and a library of 100 on-demand webinars will support the 80 hours of live programming. Scientific content will be available on the platform for 30 days and then available to attendees via the BSAVA library.
For the first time nursing, clinical and business topics will be blended into modules from which delegates can select the content they need.
Professor Ian Ramsey, President of the BSAVA, said: "On the clinical side, we’re covering everything from chronic pain and neurology to cardiology and orthopaedics – whatever your interests, there will be something for you."
“Most sessions in the live programme will feature two speakers, each delivering short presentations followed by a live, audience-led conversation. This new approach means delegates can explore the multi-faceted disciplines of the small animal veterinary world and see the clinical challenges from different points of view and, most importantly, join in.
“Pre-recorded webinars support the live programme, enabling delegates to dip in at their leisure. We’ve also swapped traditional lengthy notes or MCQs, with practical resources such as client handouts or flowcharts for delegates to take back to their clinics”.
Congress will also be covering an update on sustainability issues through the module titled, ‘can the profession go green?’ On the practical business front, recruitment and retention will be discussed and keynote speaker Jenny Campbell, a former Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, will be sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur and business leader.
BSAVA Congress prices start at £99 +VAT. To register, visit www.bsavaevents.com
The survey of 102 UK veterinary students, which was carried out by Charlotte French MRCVS (pictured right) in 2020, also revealed that 74% of respondents had engaged in extracurricular CPD whilst at university, including university presentations, online conferences, webinars and in-person congresses.
98% said they were willing to be involved in extracurricular CPD if it was available.
Charlotte said: "Students are interested in CPD and their career progression, they just need a little extra help in finding the right providers and sources."
Merial has launched a limited trial pack version of Equioxx® (firocoxib), the company's COX-2 specific NSAID for horses, which contains 10 tubes of the oral paste.
According to the company, Equioxx is the only equine NSAID that is highly COX-2 selective, acting to reduce pain and inflammation whilst preserving the natural physiological effects of the COX-1 enzyme, at therapeutic levels.
The company also claims that field studies have confirmed that firocoxib is highly effective at controlling pain and improving function in horses with chronic osteoarthritis.
Jim Tipp BVSc MRCVS, partner at Shropshire based Fyrnwy Equine Clinics said: "As a COX-2 specific NSAID it is not only a good analgesic, but is also an excellent anti-inflammatory. In addition, the COX-1 sparing properties of Equioxx are beneficial where there is increased risk of ulceration."
Equioxx is also available as a low dose injectable solution. For more information contact Merial Customer Services on 0870 6000 123.
The veterinary recruitment company Gardner Llewelyn has announced that it is to hold Thank A Vet Nurse Day on 28th May 2015.
As the name suggests the company is urging everyone to join them and make a point of thanking a veterinary nurse on the day for all their dedication and hard work.
In the run up, the company is also asking everyone to think about nominating a veterinary nurse who has gone the extra mile for an award. Two winners will each be given an iPad mini.
You can nominate a nurse here: http://www.glvets.com/competition-entry.asp
The College says the increase is needed to fund a number of ambitious projects and make sure the it is fit for the future.
The approved fee rise will apply to the 2020-21 annual renewal fee, which is due to be paid by 31 March 2020.
Increases will also be applied for those registering on or after 1 April 2020, including the restoration fee for those applying to re-join the Register.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "While we appreciate that asking people for more money is never going to be popular, I would like to reassure the profession that the fee rise is both a necessary piece of financial future-proofing and will also help fund current projects and future initiatives stemming from our new Strategic Plan.
"Many of our existing projects such as the RCVS Leadership programme, the ViVet innovation project, the Fellowship and the Mind Matters mental health initiative, have an increasing workload, often due to popular demand, which requires additional resources – including staffing – to meet those needs. There is also increasing demand on some of our core regulatory functions such as our concerns investigation and disciplinary processes, including the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), and our Education Department which is responsible for ensuring standards in an increasing number of educational institutions both domestically and internationally.
"Furthermore, there is lots of additional work on the horizon, much of which relates to improving and enhancing aspects of the profession and stems from our newly approved Strategic Plan, which will be published soon. For example, RCVS Council has just agreed an ambitious overhaul of the Professional Development Phase to help graduates better transition to life in practice; we are carrying out an increasing amount of work on understanding the barriers to diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession: and, we are looking to relocate the College in order to be better able to accommodate the increasing number of staff and functions the work we do requires.
"In terms of future-proofing, we also need to make sure we have sufficient financial security for a potential decrease in the number of veterinary surgeons currently registered with us, as well as the number of veterinary surgeons joining the Register on an annual basis, that may arise when the UK fully leaves the EU at the end of the transition period in December 2020."
The current levels of RCVS fees are able to view at: www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/fees/, which will be updated with the new fees shortly.
Fort Dodge (makers of Equest equine worming brands, and Deosect), is launching a new Equine Parasites Reference Manual.
The manual, which is supported by AHDA, AMTRA and BEVA, is billed as 'an objective and comprehensive reference guide covering endoparasites and ectoparasites and their control, as well as offering prescribing tips, a glossary of terms and reference sources'.
Fort Dodge has produced the manual to provide an ‘all in one’ guide to support veterinary professionals and Suitably Qualified People (SQPs) involved in prescribing equine parasite treatments. It brings together, in an A5 spiral bound booklet, all the information they may need on the full range of licensed veterinary medicines to control equine parasites of concern in the UK. It will be launched at BETA (17-19 February at the NEC).
For further information about the manual (or to get a copy), please contact Fort Dodge on 01489 781711.
The RCVS has launched a research project into the extent to which veterinary surgeons are able to meet its requirement that steps are taken to provide 24-hour emergency cover.
The College's 24-hour Emergency Cover Working Party (24-7 WP) has been considering the ongoing practicality of the current requirement in the Guide to Professional Conduct, and whether it should remain, be removed, or be amended in some way. The research aims to build a sound evidence base on which a decision can be made.
"Changes in practice profiles and owner demands, health and safety issues, the desire for an improved work-life balance, veterinary and animal density... all these factors affect the ability of veterinary practitioners to meet our 24-7 requirement. The Working Time Regulations - which prescribe maximum working hours and minimum rest periods - have also affected practices' ability to run out-of-hours services," according to RCVS President Jill Nute.
"However, we are frequently reminded by members that the profession is proud to offer a 24-hour emergency service to animals and their owners. There seems to be no single majority view in the profession, so we need to understand exactly how people are meeting the requirement before any changes are made," she says.
To ensure that the research is independent and representative, the RCVS has contracted a specialist market research agency, Cognition Market Intelligence.
The first step is to build a robust and unbiased questionnaire that takes account of all of the issues. To this end, in-depth interviews will be carried out over summer with a small number of veterinary surgeons from a range of different practice types, and across different gender/age/role categories.
The 24-7 WP will then meet in September to hear the findings and agree the questionnaire, which Cognition Marketing Intelligence will then use during autumn as part of a quantitative phone interview exercise with 440 veterinary surgeons, again covering a spread of individuals, practice types and geographies. The phone interview approach will ensure that the views of a range of different practitioners are heard, which is not always the case with a paper survey.
Should changes to the Guide to Professional Conduct be recommended by the Working Party on the basis of the findings, a consultation exercise may be undertaken.
The RCVS President has sent a letter to all home-practising members to explain the activities. She has urged veterinary surgeons to assist the research team, saying "your contribution will make a difference".
Identics, an animal identification company run by veterinary surgeon Egbert de Vries, has launched Labtags, a system with which you can tag animals and takes tissue samples simultaneously.
Egbert said: One of the diseases for which this tag has proven to be useful is Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). BVD Antigen testing is an important method of identifying the persistently infected (PI) animals in a herd.
"Use of labtags can be integrated in an accreditation scheme to achieve BVD Free status. It removes the need for taking blood samples and therefore simplifies the implementation of the accreditation scheme.
"BVD Antigen testing is not solely used for achieving an accreditation status. Persistently infected (PI) animals in your herd allow for the circulation of the BVD virus and have a negative impact on herd fertility and calf health. Identifying these animals is necessary for good herd management."
Two different labtags are available from IDENTICS. The first is the green button tag with a sequential number, which can be used as a complimentary tag to your double tagged animal. The second is a DEFRA approved tag with your UK herd number and individual animal number, allowing you to tag and sample your newborn calves with the correct tag without any extra work.
For more information, visit www.identics.co.uk, start a conversation with Egbert, email: info@identics.co.uk, or telephone: 01994 342100 / 07787 420646
The two-day collaborative workshop was hosted by the Jockey Club Estates, Newmarket and sponsored by The Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust and the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust, together with a number of other industry contributors.
Injuries to the racehorse fetlock are rare: it is one of a number of racecourse musculoskeletal injuries which are collectively estimated to occur in around 8 of every 10,000 race starts in the UK. Nevertheless, fetlock injury can be extremely impactful and can be career-ending in some injured horses.
On the first day of the workshop an expert panel discussed how diagnostic imaging prior to racing can contribute to risk reduction.
Radiography is currently the most widely available tool used to identify tiny fractures which will heal effectively, providing exercise is reduced. However, advanced imaging such as standing MRI, standing CT and PET scanning, have the potential to identify pathology even earlier. At the workshop, the expert panel reviewed existing knowledge and discussed how to generate the research evidence, which is essential if these novel technologies are to gain a place in effective pre-race risk assessment programmes.
The following day a larger group of stakeholders reviewed the expert panel’s conclusions and discussed the need for greater transparency, education and communication amongst the racing industry stakeholders, all of whom share responsibility for ensuring racing continues to collaborate and enhance racehorse safety and welfare.
Prof Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, who chaired the meeting said: “Racing has an excellent safety record and the injuries we are talking about are extremely rare. The low prevalence of fetlock injury makes it very difficult to pinpoint the affected individuals. But it is essential that we continue our efforts to do so ever more effectively because if silent injury is not detected it can progress to become much more serious."
Pete Ramzan, Partner at Rossdales LLP, who co-ordinated the workshop said: “There was a great need to get some of the key experts leading these new technologies together in the same room to correlate their findings and work out how to translate them into tangible reductions in serious injury rates. One of the somewhat unexpected outcomes of the discussions was that despite the fact that we are riding the crest of a wave of technological advances, basic radiography still has much to offer; better education around the application and interpretation of radiographs has real potential to allow vets like myself at the coal face to detect injuries at an early and recoverable stage”.
Photo: A radiograph showing of a racing thoroughbred’s fetlock joint. The arrow points to linear radiolucency in the parasagittal groove of the lower cannon bone, a finding that is frequently detectable before progression to serious injury. Image courtesy of Dr P. Ramzan, Rossdales LLP, Newmarket.
The six-floor building, which the College bought for £22.3m in 2022, was originally a warehouse.
Over the years it has been home to a range of businesses from leather manufacturers and papers makers to lithographic plate makers and shoe upping manufacturers, before becoming an office space.
The building remained tenanted until 2024, when £5.8m worth of renovation work to convert the building into a space suitable for a royal college began.
In addition to the working areas for RCVS and RCVS Knowledge staff, the building also has:
RCVS CEO, Lizzie Lockett, said: “After a few years in a rented co-working office space, we’re delighted to have moved into our new home, designed not only to meet the needs of College staff, but to support the broader ambitions of the RCVS as a whole.
“Our new strategic plan has collaboration at its heart – the idea of being stronger through working together – and our new building will help us to achieve that.
“Whether attending events, exploring RCVS Knowledge’s archives, using the members' area and meeting rooms, or benefitting from the outputs that the new space enables, the building has been developed with members and associates as a central focus.”
RCVS President, Linda Belton, added: "It’s great to see what’s been achieved through this project and my thanks go to the team who have managed the refurbishment and move.
“The new premises are equipped to ensure that the voice of the veterinary professions remains integral in assuring animal health, welfare, and public health in the UK, allowing for those all-important stakeholder conversations essential to setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards.
“We look forward to welcoming members, associates, students and stakeholders alike in the coming months and years.”
Bayer Animal Health has launched Back to Basics, a new guide to antibiotic use which focuses on the concerns raised by vets and vet students about antibiotics in a survey carried out by the company.
465 vets and 40 students took part in the survey in March 2014. Of these:
27% of vets admitted that they struggle to know which antibiotic is the most appropriate for a specific condition. This uncertainty was particularly the case if the patient is un-responsive to the vet's first choice antibiotic, or the condition develops to require a new or additional antibiotic choice. Bayer says it is also clear that many vets may not be aware that pradofloxacin is the least likely of the veterinary fluoroquinolones to select for antibiotic resistance,2 as 23% of vet students and 9% of vets said they believe that all antibiotics carry the same risk of selecting for resistance.
The company says Back to Basics is designed to fill the gaps in knowledge identified by the survey. It presents each of the major classes of veterinary antibiotic and details how they work. It also includes an antibiotics 'jargon buster' to help vets and vet students better understand the commonly used measures of antibiotic activity and make more informed decisions about the use of antibiotics in practice.
Bayer has also developed an online self-assessment quiz that allows vets and students to check their knowledge. The quiz and the guide are both available at www.veraflox.co.uk
References
Henry Schein Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire RxWorks Inc., the veterinary practice management software provider.
Founded in 1988 and with headquarters in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, RxWorks has 68 team members and an installed base of more than 1,500 veterinary clinics in 19 countries worldwide (primarily Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the Netherlands).
Henry Schein says RxWorks will become part of it's Global Animal Health Practice Solutions business, led by its current management team.
Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. said: "RxWorks has an excellent reputation for helping veterinarians increase practice efficiency and improve quality health care through its innovative practice management software solutions.
"The addition of RxWorks further strengthens our growing practice management software solutions business, which helps deepen relationships in the regions served by RxWorks with our animal health customers, including large corporate customers. The addition of RxWorks will nicely complement our expanding animal health technology businesses. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues from RxWorks to Henry Schein."
Nathan Basha, Chairman of RxWorks said: "RxWorks software is designed to facilitate consistency of patient care, enable practice growth, achieve enhanced profitability and optimize professional time, all the while improving the quality of life for patients. Aligning with Henry Schein, a global company committed to serving animal health professionals and bringing innovation to the marketplace, allows RxWorks to provide even further value to customers while expanding industry reach."
Henry Schein says it expects the acquisition to close in the second half of January 2016. Financial details and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The organisers have invited veterinary experts to share their knowledge and expertise in gastroscopy, sinoscopy and upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopy, using cadaver heads and state of the art models, during daily practical sessions.
Practical sessions will guide delegates through the most commonly used equine endoscopy procedures, including how to perform gastroscopy, how to perform upper respiratory tract endoscopy and exploration of the guttural pouches and how to get the most out of sinoscopy.
Each session will include a review of the anatomy involved and helpful tips from experts Jonathan Anderson, Tim Barnett, Imogen Comyn, Ollie Crowe, Sarah Mack, Patrick Pollock, Alex Rafferty, Richard Reardon, Neil Townsend, Sophie Wilford and Tom Witte.
The gastroscopy practical will make use of a custom synthetic model of a horse’s oesophagus and stomach, uniquely developed by BEVA, Burtons and DeLegge Medical Design in the USA. The URT endoscopy practical will utilise cadaver heads on stands so delegates can look at laryngeal components, sinus drainage angle, ethmoids, guttural pouch ostia and can then scope/ pass foley catheters/chambers catheters in to guttural pouches. Pre-prepared cadaver heads will also be used for the sinoscopy practicals. Frontal sinus trephine holes will allow a scope to be inserted and one side will be broken through the maxillary septal (ventral conchal) bulla so delegates can compare the differences in anatomy.
At the end of each demonstration Burtons, who have sponsored the event and supplied the endoscopic equipment, will be providing advice on how to clean and maintain scopes properly.
Mark Bowen, President of BEVA, said: "BEVA is committed to providing innovative and practical CPD through its entire CPD programme, including congress and these practical sessions showcase the excellent and varied education provided to members. At a time when the RCVS are considering the value of certain types of CPD in improving professional competence, BEVA is committed to leading the field and challenging perceptions of what a modern conference can be."
The practical sessions will run on all three days of Congress on the balcony above the exhibition hall. Each session will comprise a demonstration and then three practical slots, each for a maximum of ten delegates. Places can be secured on a first come first served basis by signing up on the day.
Visit www.beva.org.uk to find out more and to sign up.
The event is held every four years and hosted alternately by BEVA and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
It offers the opportunity for equine vets to absorb and digest the latest knowledge, clinical practice and scientific advances in the treatment and prevention of colic, from the world’s leading international equine gastroenterology experts.
Held over 2.5 days, the symposium comprises numerous 12-minute oral presentations on a range of topics including surgical techniques, treatment, parasitology, gastric ulceration, endotoxemia, pharmacology of intestinal motility, colic complications, epidemiology, physiology of digestion, the intestinal microbiome and metabolomics.
Each session will be followed by three minutes for questions and discussion.
Poster sessions on the first two days will cover ground beyond the oral presentations and delegates will be able to review and discuss the work with presenters.
There will also be opportunities to network with other equine vets, researchers and professionals.
Clinicians and scientists have until 1 February 2024 to submit abstracts of recent work that they wish to present at this meeting.
The scientific committee will consider abstracts on all aspects of equine gastroenterology, including basic science research and reports of clinical cases or novel approaches to treatment.
The abstract submission form is here: https://form.jotform.com/230473925626359
Tickets cost £475 (with a concessionary rate of £235 for post graduate students and interns) and includes a drinks reception on both 10th & 11th, an evening buffet and Ceilidh on 11th and lunch on 11th & 12th.
Further information and booking details can be found here: https://www.beva.org.uk/Education/CPD/Event-Details/eventDateId/1740
Virbac highlights research which shows that 90% of all dogs over one year are affected by dental issues, including plaque, tartar, gingivitis and halitosis1, but small breed dogs are 5 times more likely to have dental issues than large breeds2.
The new formulation of Veterinary HPM Small & Toy range contains Ascophyllum Nodosum, which Virbac says has been scientifically proven activity on four aspects of oral and dental health: calculus index, volatile sulphur compound concentration, plaque index and gingival bleeding index3.
Virbac points to research which shows that after being absorbed in the small intestine and then secreted into the oral cavity via saliva, Ascophyllum Nodosum inhibits some pathways involved in plaque or calculus development4.
Nutrition-wise, Virbac says the new diet offers 33% less carbohydrate and 34% more protein, on average, compared to other brands sold in veterinary practices5.
90% of the protein included in the diets is also from animal protein.
The updated range also features 2 new kibble sizes (10.5mm & 7.5mm), for smaller mouths.
ECVS and RCVS Small Animal Surgery Specialist Vassilis Chantziaras (pictured) will lead the event, where attendees will be able to deepen their understanding of both common and unusual orthopaedic conditions.
The session will be split into a case review where delegates will discuss the presented cases in small groups, followed by a case presentation and group discussion led by Vassilis.
Andrew Kent, Clinical Director at Blaise, said: “We’re privileged to have such an incredible team here at Blaise and it’s important that they are able to share their expertise and knowledge for others to learn from and grow their own careers.
"We have many more learning and development opportunities and events in the pipeline and look forward to welcoming our veterinary industry colleagues to our hospital.”
www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd
The Recruitment Investment Group (RIG) has established a new recruitment agency that specialises in the supply of skilled professionals to the veterinary animal health market.
The newly formed RIG Animal Health Recruit will be working in the "industry" side of the profession to provide a permanent and temporary recruitment service in areas such as sales, technical product, academia, and laboratory work. The company's activities will not be confined to the UK alone, but, due the nature of this work, it will also operate in Europe.
The new company is headed up by James Roadnight, who has over 14 years' experience in working in specialist recruitment within professional and high integrity industries.
James said: "There comes a time in some vets or vet nurses' careers when they can want a change from working in practice and would like to move their skills to industry or academia. And we can help with this transition. Similarly, companies and institutions have a need to recruit personnel and will benefit from working with an agency that specialises only in this sector and should therefore have the strongest candidates available."
For more information, see www.rigahr.co.uk